Glover Teixeira could be in striking distance of another title shot with a win Wednesday.
Former UFC light heavyweight title challengers Teixeira and Anthony Smith headline UFC on ESPN+ 29 with both men vying for another crack at gold.
Currently riding a three-fight winning streak, Teixeira (30-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) views his fight with Smith as a must win.
“This is a win I need,” Teixeira recently told MMA Junkie. “Beating Anthony Smith can put me within short striking distance of another title shot. I’ve been at this for a long time. I’ve corrected some of my errors. I’m ready to make another comeback. I never stop. Hopefully I’ll get another shot at the champion. It will probably still be Jon Jones. I still believe I can be the champion of my weight class. I’m running after my dreams.”
The 40-year-old Teixeira is enjoying his best run in years, and has been eyeing a matchup with Smith since they competed on the same card in Germany, in 2018. But Teixeira had lost to Corey Anderson on that night, while Smith picked up a big stoppage win over Mauricio Rua.
But years later, the stars aligned and the two will finally meet.
“After I racked up three wins, we had a talk and he said it’d be an honor to face me,” Teixeira said. “It’s also an honor for me to fight this kid who’s beating everybody up. It motivates me to train hard and impose my game on fight night. I want do push him – drag him into deep waters.”
Training conditions have naturally not been ideal for gym owner Teixeira, who’s had to close his academy during the coronavirus outbreak. He’s had a select few training partners to work with, in preparation for his fight.
“Unfortunately, there’s no way to fight without training,” Teixeira said. “It’s a risk we have to take. We’re talking all safety measures. I’m doing my physical conditioning at home. I’m confident everything will go well. My weight is on target. Training, in some ways, helps me take my mind off the coronavirus pandemic. Of course, I still try to help some people I know, who are going through a tough moment. I’m feeling confident about this fight. I’ll do what I have to do, crowd or no crowd.”
UFC on ESPN+ 29 takes place Wednesday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card streams on ESPN+.
